This Review introduces the Disease Reference Group on Helminth Infections (DRG4), outlines the series, and discusses core themes in the control and elimination of human helminthiases.
This Review discusses how the disproportionate burden of disease caused by helminth infections in the poorest communities contributes to a vicious cycle of infection, poverty, decreased productivity, and inadequate socio-economic development. Sara Lustigman and colleagues provide an overview of the forces driving the persistence of helminthiases as a public health problem despite the many control initiatives that have been put in place.
Roger Prichard and colleagues discuss the status of current intervention tools for the control and elimination of helminth infections that are useful but not adequate in all settings. Recent advances and remaining obstacles drive the need for an R&D; agenda to ensure that the appropriate interventions are available.
Current and under development diagnostic technologies for control and elimination of helminth infection are reviewed and critical gaps and opportunities are identified by James McCarthy and co-authors.
Andrea Gazzinelli and co-authors focus on the environmental, social, behavioural and political determinants of human helminth infections and outline a research and development agenda for the socioeconomic and health systems research required for the development of sustainable control programmes.
In this review María-Gloria Basáñez and colleagues argue that although mathematical modelling of helminth infections has the potential to inform policy and guide research for the control and elimination of human helminthiases, this potential has yet to be realized.
Sara Lustigman and co-authors argue that although there has been substantial scientific advancement in our understanding of the basic biology of helminthiases, major research gaps still remain that need to be addressed to improve and update fundamental knowledge of helminth biology and to translate such knowledge into novel intervention tools.
Mike Y. Osei-Atweneboana and colleagues discuss the challenges confronting the building and maintenance of research capacity in disease-endemic countries, the global, regional and national efforts and strategies towards establishing such research capacity, and the implications of regional and national health research policies on the control of helminthiases.
